Carton



i April 4, 1939. 1 P. A. NEMOEDE CARTON Filed Feb. 14, 1938 Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED" STATES PATENT' oFFlcE cAa'roN 'Y 4 -ranlanemea Louuvmaxy..mwtocm h InerGorporationolAmmChicmllL-acorporation` of Delaware a y Appuunn Femm 14, 193s, serai No. 19am 1 claims. (c1. ca -1s);

v19 type of box or container which, having provision for deflection or expansion, may be utilized for the packaging of a commodity such as mushrooms which, after being picked increase in size or assume a diiferent shape thereby occupying or demanding an increased space over that originally required. It is estimated that normal growth or .expansion of mushrooms after being picked and packed may necessitate the provision of as much as ten per centum (10%) of expansion 29 space.

Another important object is to provide a box .or container of such construction that it may not only be quickly and lreadily formed or folded from pre-cut and scored blanks, in which form 55 itis most easily and economically shipped, but so constructed that it 'may be easily and conveniently filled or packed and thereafter closed.

Still another major object is to provide a box of such character that it may be illled completely 30 evenv though the commodity may later expand cr swell, the construction being so arranged that the walls of the box and one wall'in particular may deilect or bulge to accommodate the expanded or enlarged volume of the commodity packaged withinthebox. j

A further object is to provide a novel closure locking and releasing means whereby the box may be quickly andeasily closed and secured in closed condition after being oued and of such nature that the ultimate consumer or anyone else may as readily and quickly open the box for removal or inspection of the contents. Furthermore, the closure construction is such that the normal position of the box on its bottom may assist in main- 45 taining the closure in closed or secured position and also against spilling or loss of the box contents should the closure fastening or locking means become released.

Many other objects as well as the advantages and uses of the invention will be appreciated and understood alter reading the followingL description of a preferred embodiment, after reading the claims and after viewing the drawing in 55 which: Y

Fig. 1 is a perspective vie'w of a box constructed in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line-2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a'deveiopment or plan view of the sheetof paper board or other material as cut and scored ready for formation or folding into the box of Figs. 1 and 2.- The box chosen for illustration of the invention 10 f is one which may be utilized for the display packaging of mushrooms and is of generally cubical shape having four (4) side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, all integralV with oneanother, that` is, all formed from a single sheet and connected"k with one another-in that sheet. Fig. 3 illustrates 'l the Vcharacter of the blank as it appears after being cut out in the desired shape and scored lfor the necessary folding.

The blank is cut and scored to provide a top 5i panel or section I in which a window opening 5 may be provided. a pair of side wall forming panels or sections I each of which carries a pair of side wall locking wings or iiaps I and l, a pair of side wail panels or sections 9 and II,'a bottom v3" wall forming panelr section I2, a locking tabV I3 on the side wall panel l. a ange or ilap Il on thepanel I2, a slit I5 through panelj! adjacent to iiange I4, and a-locking tongue I6 on each of thewingsoxapsland l. Sincethebox is tobe 9 used for mushrooms, it'is also provided with a x suitable number and arrangement of apertures I1 and I I whereby satisfactory ventilation may be I'he window opening i may be coveredv with "glassine or "cellophane I! or maybe left 3 open if its size Vand the relative size of the packaged commodity permit. or may be omitted alto- Score lines II segregate the top wall panel section l from the side wall panels l, .and Ilscore lines!! segregatelthe side wall locking naps l and B from side wall panels 6, andscore lines and 2l, respectively segregate the bottom wall panel I! from side wall panel I I and flange or iiap 'Il from panel I2. Itwillbenoted thatthe boxbottom wallis inset or raised above the bottom edges of the box side walls and 'to this end the side wall panels 9 and II are made shorter (in distances measured perpendicular to score lines 2l) than the side wail panels 8. And, to "the, same end. the bottom edges of the side wall locking'fiaps 1 and I are coextensive (in effect) with the bottom edges of sidewall panels 6': also, the width of ange or iiap Il (measured perpendicular to score line 24) is equal or substantially equal to the distance to which the bottom wall I2 is inset from or raised above-the bottom edges of the side Walls 6 and flaps 1- and 8. The box illustrated has a top of greater dimensions than its bottom and the cutting and scoring pattern is in accord therewith.

The formation of the box from the blank of Fig. 3 is a .simple and easy matter. Preferably placing the blank flat with lthe side tov whichlthe window material has been applied uppermost, the side wall panels 6, 9 and II are folded upwardly on score lines 2I until their side edges come together whereupon the locking flaps I are folded toward one another over side panel 9 and the tongues I6 are interlocked, one behind the other. The locking tab I3 will then project upwardly alongside of the inside of the inside surfaces of flaps 'I. In like manner the locking aps 8 are interlocked with one another outside of panel II throughtheir tongues I6 and the bottom panel I2 and flange I4 may be permitted to project upwardly until the mushrooms or other commodities have been packed within the box from the bottom thereof. f

After packing, the bottom Wall panel I2 is folded down about score line 23 toward its final position and iiange I4 is bent upwardly (toward the observer) about score line 24. Then the tab I3 may be directed through the slit I5 as the flange I4 and panel I2 are moved into their inal positions as illustrated in Figs. land 2. In this out carrying the bottom panel with it. The bot--l tom edge of the flange I4 will be approximately g along and even with the4 bottom edges of flaps 1 so that the edge will assist in supporting the load of the box contents. It is apparent that the in sertion of the tab I3 into the slit I5V will not cause any substantial deflection of the tab from the plane of its attached side wall panel 9. The slit I5 being of irregular shape (substantially vW-shape) the friction and interlocking connection between tab I3 and the edges of the slit will afford substantial support, under normal conditions, for the load on the box bottom wall. Since the bottom wall is supported'at two edges only it is free to bulge or to expand with expansion of the box contents.

While the invention has been disclosed in a preferred embodiment it will be apparent that it is susceptible of other forms and various arrangements wherefore it is not intended that it shall be limited except by its spirit and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A box of the character described comprising, a' single sheet of material cut, scored and folded to provide a generally cubical container having a ranged to releasably receive the locking tongue to interlock said side wall with the bottom Wall. 2. A shipping box for mushrooms and the like comprising, a single 'sheet of material`such as paper board cut, scored and folded to provide a container having four side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said top Wall being formed in rectangular shape from a central panel of the sheet and havinga sight opening therethrough, each of one pair of opposite side walls being attached along its top edge to and extending downwardly from an edge of the top wall and having a laterally Yextending locking flap at and coextensive with each sideedge, each of the other pair of side walls being attached along its top edge to and extending downwardly from an edge of the topwall and being of a lesser length, from top to bottom edges, thanthe first said pair of side walls, a rectangular bottom wall secured along one of its edges to the bottom edge of one of said other pair of side walls, and interlocking means for securing the opposite edge of said bottom wall to the bottom edge of the other of said other pair of side walls, directly opposed locking aps being folded over the outer face of the contiguous of said other pair of side walls and interlocked with one another thereover.

3. A shipping box for mushrooms and the like comprising, a single sheet of material such as paper board cut, scored and folded to provide a container having four side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, said top wall being formed in rectangular shape from a central panel of the sheet,

- each of one pair of opposite side walls being attached along its top wall and having a laterally extending locking flap at each side edge, each of the locking flap bottom edges terminating substantially flush with the bottom edge of its attached side wall,` each of the Yother pair of side walls being attached along its top edge to and extending downwardly from an edge of the top Wall and being of a lesser length, from top to bottom edges, than the first said 4`'pair of side Walls, a rectangular bottom wall secured along one of its edges tothe bottom edge of one of the shorter side walls, and interlocking means for securing the opposite edge ofsaid bottom Wall to the bottom edge of the other shorter side wall, directly opposed locking naps being folded over the outer face of the contiguous of said other pair of side walls and interlocked with one another thereover.

4. A shipping box for mushrooms and the like comprising, a single sheet of material such as paper-board cut, scored and folded to provide an even multiple sided central paneldeilning a top, a panel integral with each side of said central panel and extending downwardly therefrom to form a side wall of the box, each of alternate side panels having a locking flap integral with each of the lateral edges thereof, the adjacent locking flaps of alternate side panels being arranged to overlapthe intermediate side panel and to interlock.with one another at the outer face of the intermediate side panel, one of the intermediate side panels terminating above the bottom edges ofadjacent side panels and having a locking tab attached to the bottom edge thereof, the side panel opposite to said one intermediate panel terminating above the bottom edges of adjacent side panels and having a bottom forming panel attached thereto at its bottom edge, said bottom panel having a slit for reception of said locking tab and being unconnected with all other side panels.

5. A shipping box comprising a single sheet of material such as paperboard out, scored and folded to provide a rectangular central panel dening a top, a panel integral with each side of said central panel and extending downwardly therefrom to form a side wall of the box, each of 'two alternate side panels having a locking flap integral with each of the lateral edges thereof, the adjacent locking flaps of said alternate side panels being arranged to substantially completely overlap each; of the remaining alternate side panels and to interlock with one another at the outer face of each of such side panels, one of said remaining side panels having a locking tab extending from the bottom thereof, a bottom panel extending from the side panel opposite to the side panel carrying the locking tab, said bottom panel having an extension iiange thereon, there being a slit formed along the meeting edges of the bottom panel and extension flange 'for the reception of said locking tab.

6. A shipping box comprising, a single sheet of material such as paperboard cut, scored and folded to provide a rectangular central panel dening a top, a panel integral with each side of said central panel and extending downwardly therefrom to form a side wall of the box, each of alternate side panels having a locking ap integral with each of the lateral edges thereof, the adjacent locking flaps of alternate side panels being arranged to overlap the intermediate side panel and to interlock with one another at the outer face of the intermediate side panel, one of the intermediate side panels terminating above the bottom edges of adjacent sidev panels and having a bottom forming panel attached thereto at its bottom edge, and means for connecting the bottom panel to the opposite side panel above the bottom edges of the adjacent side panels.

7. A shipping box comprising, a single sheet of material such as paperboard, cut, scored and foldedto provide a rectangular central panel deiining a top, a panel integral with each side of said central panel and extending downwardly therefrom to form a side Wall of the box, each of alternate side panels having a locking ilap integral with each of the lateral edges thereof, the adjacent locking flaps of alternate side panels being arranged to overlap the intermediate side panel and to interlock with one another at the outer face of the intermediate side panel, one of the intermediate side panels terminating above the bottom edges of adjacent side panels and having a bottom panel attached thereto at its lower edge, said bottom panel having an extension ange thereon, there being a slit formed along the meeting edges of the bottom panel and the extension ange for the reception of a llocking tab, a downwardly projecting locking tab disposed in the lower portion of the side wall panel opposite to the one carrying the bottom panel, said locking tab having lateral extensions thereon for engagement within said slit, the engaging parts of the lateral extensions being located above the bottom edges of the 'adjacent side panels, and the slit being so related to the locking tab that engagement of the t b in the slit is eiected without substantially de ecting the locking tab from the general plane of its attached side panel.

PAUL A. NEMOEDE. 

